In loco parentis
by erixkairi13
Summary: What if Father and the sins weren't the only homunculus of a forbidden act? If Trisha was pregnant when she died, would her unborn baby have been "resurrected" too? Meet the unknown youngest Elric on her journey through the timeline. Fullmetal Alchemist belongs to Hiromu. I only own the OC.
1. Chapter 1: To Open Pandora's Box

_**Chapter 1: Acedia's Yet-To-Come**_

_Remember the seven deadly sins and the virtuous spirit of hope within Pandora's pithos which her father gave? Was it the curiosity given to her by the gods or was she only curious because it was forbidden? If it wasn't forbidden to open the jar then Pandora wouldn't' have been impelled by her curiosity. It's like the acts of children and how if they are forbidden from doing something; the more they want to commit those acts._

* * *

_**PAST**_

"Pinako," a fragile woman spoke as she sat on her bed, "can you tell him, if he ever comes back."

"What are you saying!" the petite granny shouted, "Tell him yourself when you get better!"

"Tell him," she rephrased and her gentle face looked out the windows with sad eyes, "that I wasn't able to keep my promise... I'll be going early... Tell him that... I'm sorry; Tell him that when we meet... I'll be waiting with our_ new beginning that's yet to come_."

_Ed... Al... I'm sorry. I don't want you two to be sad all alone... For not telling you that I was pregnant when your father left... I'm so sorry, I failed... to give you a __**sibling**; for leaving the both of you all alone in this world._

* * *

A man featured with dark, piercing eyes and clean-shaven, baby-faced visage accompanied by dark hair covered in his chosen attire, his black cloak, stood in the pouring rain. However no one knew what was to come; this was to storm before the Taboo curse that would change their future forever. Not to mention, lurking in the shadows was the father of the two boys.

"Resembool Village..." escaped from the lips of a certain Mustang whose stare aimed at a certain house of the Elrics.

_*FLASH*_

_A purple light?-No- That's Darkness! What is going on?! That house look like it's going to detonate._ Baby in arm, his eyes pierced the house as if to see through it to find what was going on. not wanting to take the risk of danger, he stood afar in concern and suspicion of what was going on within and beyond those frantic walls of the seemingly unbreakable house.

"Brother! Brother! Brother! Brother!"

"Al!"

...

What th-?! A man in a metal armor is walking out... Who is he? Wait, that's his son he's carrying! A furious reaction of alchemy... something's not right. In any case, I have to find out what that man is up to.

After the obstacle left to chase the to figures that left the house, a Van Hohenheim went into the abandoned house.

I see, human transmutation. No wonder everything was frantic. And that suit of armor, I bet that was one of the Elric brothers. For this homunculus to be dead, that boy must have aimed at her stone without knowing it.

"WAAAaah! WAAAaah! WAAAaah!"

_That cry... A baby?!_ He turns his head towards the location of the sound and walk towards it- towards the corpse of the inhumane the being that is supposed to be the boys' mother and dissected it._ What on Earth is a **baby** doing inside the womb of this sloth's dead body? Was Trisha pregnant when she died? Would that explain the location the baby was in? Wait, newborns who are still in the womb die when the mother herself does. That means... A homunculus!_

After cutting the cord, he held the only coat he wore that served as the shield of aegis against the sky's wrath and ripped the lower half to cover the petrified baby. Now under his aegis and away from the venomously hideous female, he soothed the one thing that didn't escape into the stormy night she was born under and observed her carefully. _The little kid had spirited scarlet eyes accompanied by platinum blonde hair, Trisha's face, and... This child is NOT a sin... She's my last hope... "!"_

Out of thin air, a transmutation circle with a red void was lit in the room. However, what was even more shocking was that a small, young girl fell out of the very void and landed on her feet as if she was used to the whole ordeal.

Her attire consisted of black pants with a black belt that had a large silver buckle, a white buttoned shirt that was worn underneath a black trench-coat with gray lining going down the sleeves and black boots with silver plates to protect her shins. She has a silver plate worn on her coat, which was on her right side, and a pair of black finger-less gloves. Looking at face more closely, if the immortal man die of a heart attack, then he would've done so. This child looked like at older version of the hope in his arms.

"Please excuse my sudden appearance," she said a soft feminine voice, "I didn't expect you to be at the house at this time, but it saves me the trouble of looking all over for you."

"Who are you?"

"Before I say that, we must understand the underlying cause as to why I'm here. Do you know the concept of time traveling? Originally, the timeline flowed in one simple and straightforward direction. The moment Ed met Truth, it created a new path. But why do you think he ended up creating so many paths instead of one like how Trisha didn't come back? Do you follow?"

"Ah..." Hohenheim muttered in shock.

"The power of human transmutation is the same as forcing open the gate, thus he didn't have the capability of using it. He could not create the perfect mother, brother, or future he had envisioned. as a result, he ended up splitting the flow of time into multiple dimensions."

"I see... And now for you. What's your involvement?"

"The whispers of time- the heartbeats of souls- The presence of things that no one can see or feel; Time, space, entities that exist but don't exist. I have an extremely rare ability that many see as a myth and is so powerful that it can only be manifest itself through dreams. And yet, I'm physically here. It's all thanks to my philosopher stone."

"Seriously?"

"Yes but keep in mind that no matter how strong the stone is, it's incapable of breaking the boundaries of time and space."

"!"

"That right, the stone absorbed my ability, and then the impossible became possible."

What exactly is your ability?"

"Trance."

"The ability to communicate with other entities beyond time and space?"

"Yes... this doesn't make Truth an exception to this as well. With explanations aside, I suppose I should introduce myself... You may have already suspected this, but I'm the future self of the baby in front of you."

"!"

"That's right; I'm your daughter."

**PREGNANT SILENCE**

"A homunculus that ages... and uses alchemy..." This man let out during his mentally ageing state.

"One morning, Roy Mustang will find my body wrapped in an improvised blanket and an envelope telling whoever-finds-me my name and to take me in. At one point, I will disappear under his care. However, in my point of view, I ended up in... a different era. Through different time periods, I've come back to the day I was born, to save people and the only reason I can is because this is a parallel world where I survived Ed's blow to this sloth. There two conditions to this: First, you must not comeback here until during the time Ed is past fifteen and I must rescue lives."

"But, avoiding deaths and altering the past is impos-"

"I'll just say it. It _is_ possible," the child interrupted him, "You're just going about it the wrong way. I cannot alter established past events nor can I undo the major thing people saw."

"So..." he voiced, "we have to trick ourselves," the child nodded.

"Save your children without changing the fact that Mother died. Convince others that they are dead when they are really alive. If we do so, the past won't change."

"I see... We must change the outcome without altering established past events... I understand," and a breath was let out from the girl.

"I'll see you soon around 4 years from now."

"Wait."

(・_・? "Hm?"

"You haven't told me your name."

"Well, what do you want to name me?"

"Elpis, Elpis (Greek to English translation: Hope) Elric."

"Right, that's name."

_That was when the clock within me began to tick._

* * *

_**PRESENT**_

**ELPIS' P.O.V.**

When I awoke from landing the crash landing, I was just in time to witness Issac McDougal's coup d'état.

"The Freezing Alchemist killing the Führer and bringing down the corrupt Military, huh..." I spoke to myself as I looked out at Amestris' largest and currently chaotic city from an alleyway. _Wait for hell to freeze over (literally)... Now!_

"Issac the Freezer," I spoke to the former State Alchemist, "You know what I am and you know what I want."

"Humph, didn't take a while to guess. You're a homunculus," Using his blood, he turned it into a spear and charged... at nothing.

"Damn you! What's it gonna be?" Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned his head and in a sense, I made contact with the sinful bloody spear. Much to our surprise, however, what his eye met were not eye of my own but of pure shock.

"What's wrong, aren't you gonna try to kill me?" the man questions when he finally realized that I had just seemingly phased right through his weapon.

"I don't want to kill you if I can avoid it. So stay back."

"Uwwoah!" He's not listening.

"Please forgive me," I said as I dodge his numerous attacks... "!" _Shoot,_ I thought when he punctured me right in the stomach, causing me to fly towards the ground at a great distance. _It hurts... It hurts!_ However, thanks to my regenerative abilities I healed back. My opponent, however...

"You're supposed to be a regular spirit of hope. So now what, is this where you_ save_ my soul...?"

"I could help you, if that's what you want." That threw him off, but only for a split second.

"Tch, it's over!"

"Now this isn't going to work," _that voice..._

"Bradley...! Hehehehehehe... Hahahahahaha! Say you prayers!" He starts charging at him and gains speed while he's at it.

" Hahaha... Hahahahahaha!" At that moment I shut my eyes at what is to happen. I knew, if it's the Führer, the outcome of the battle was evident.

"Ugh!" I waited for the sound of the body to drop dead in the mist of the sound of shattering ice beyond the darkness.

"You can open your eyes now." I did so... only to be faced with the tip of a blade in the hands of Wrath. I froze.

"Oh, excuse me," he said like he didn't realize where he was pointing- it obviously wasn't a mistake!

"It's fine... You're done quick as always."

"And with good timing too." Yeah, to see and cause some little suffering.

"So," His Highness started, "What are you going to do now?"

"Well, I would like to travel with the Elric brothers... but I suppose that's asking too much. Um... What's with that mischievous grin?"

* * *

**EDWARD"S P.O.V.**

Al and I ran around Central in pursuit of Issac. However, by the time we found him, it was already too late. There was a group of State Alchemists and a girl in black around his covered body. Besides them, however, was...

"Huff... Huff... Führer King Bradley..."

"Oh, good work, Fullmetal Alchemist," he said, "I see... To think that I'd be able to give you a hand. This will make a good story for my son."

"Ah... Uh- huh..." I replied to the first sentence.

"And there's something else I have to speak to you about."

(・_・? "Eh?"

"I would like this young lady," he motions towards the girl, "to go along with you."

"Wha-" He emits a scary aura.

"This is not a request."

"Y-yes sir." His face goes back to normal.

"Noe then, I suggest you say in the hospital for some rest. Good evening, everyone."

"Sir!" the girl shouted back. I examine her closely as walked in the night. She looks familiar... No way; her face! Mother!

"Who are you?"

"If it's information on me that you want, ask Roy. But since you asked, it's Elpis."

_That was when the clock within me came to a halt._

* * *

**_PAST_**

**ROY'S P.O.V.**

Just last night, I had went to the trouble of going to the Elric home when I received that letter then find one of the brothers in such a condition and the other missing. However, today, I stand lost beyond words with my mouth agape at the red sight in front of me. The cracked floor was marked with a transmutation circle that was splattered in blood. Whoever thought that when I was looking at the remains of the scene, I find this sinned study. Armor, books, the scent of death- everything was scattered everywhere.

"Lt. Colonel," Riza's voice called out in a mist my shock as she walked in, "their not in the back eith-" She see what I'm staring at.

"What is this?!" her eyes widen.

"Where is he? Where's the other brother?!"

"WAAAaah!" _What in the- A baby?! _We go towards the slightly opened crate by the door on the right wall; the source of the sound was confirmed correct. The crate was filled with a stack of towels as if someone was actually putting her (the cloth happened to be ... a little unraveled) there on purpose. She stared back at me and reach her arms out. I redid her "blanket" and started to carry her, but felt an envelope in the process. Riza opened the letter.

To The-One-Who-Finds-This-Letter,

The girl you just found is Elpis. I beg of you to not tell my sons that I was here last night. I had found the young child within the thing that was created. To get a better explanation, go to the house my sons are at. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerly, Hohenheim

"What is the meaning of this."

"Who knows," I said, "But we won't know unless we go."

"And the baby?"

"We'll just say we adopted her."

* * *

**The concept of time and space doesn't belong to me. I was inspired by Steins;Gate and Area-X and the Final Fantasy 13**


	2. Chapter 2: Reunion

_**Chapter 2: Under Father and Mother's Aegis**_

**CONTINUATION OF LAST P.O.V.**

"Will they be coming?" Riza asked.

"Yes," I replied in confidence, "they will."

"That boy had a spiritless look in his eye."

"You think so?" I looked at her with a smirk, "Those... were eyes that had flame in them."

"If you say so, but from the conversation that took place..."

"Right they knew nothing of thing child's existence. However, I did find out that it means that her full name is Elpis Elric."

"What are we going to do though? None of us has any experience in taking care of a child."

*SKKREEEECH!* "Dammit" I cursed as I stopped the car, "A smoke bomb?!"

"Hawkeye,"

"Sir!" However, when the smoke cleared there was no one in sight.

"Do you think it was just a false alarm?"

"Probably," I replied, yet something was off, "Wait! The baby!" By the time we turned around, it was long gone.

* * *

_**PRESENT**_

**ROY'S P.O.V.**

It's been 4 years since I first found her... and kidnapped shortly under my care, but here I am. I stand petrified at the person in front of me talking to Fullmetal. She has grown- petite, but still, compared to back then, she shot up. Someone may as well have thrown a bucket of ice cold water on me.

"Elpis..." I let out in a nearly in audible voice under the shouting of the many soldiers getting everything back under control. However, she turned her head my way as if she could hear me.

"Ah,,, Mustang," she said, "good evening." I regained me composure.

"Ahem, yes to you too." If I could, I would've asked where she has been all these years. But I can't! Besides, the crowd, she was a newborn back then!

"Wait," I questioned, "You know me?" This seemed to get Fullmetal's attention.

"Come to think of it," he said, "Earlier, you called this bastard 'Roy' and..." He turns towards me.

"Who is she? She said that YOU should have information on her!"

"!" I was felt as if I had just looked at a ghost in the eye, which in a sense, I am, "Come to my office."

* * *

I walked to my desk and opened the draw that I had kept the envelope at and handed it to him.

"After reading the letter and hearing your story four years ago..."

"I'm your sister," at least that's who the girl claimed to be. Looking at her, she's either a giant 4 year old or something else happened.

"Hohenheim!" I turned towards a raging Fullmetal. My face must have looked the similar to his as he is when I saw her today.

"But," I started, "It has only been four years since you were born. How old are you now? 12?" She pouted.

"I'm 15!" I couldn't help but crack a grin.

"I apologize, but your as short as Fullmetal."

(ಠ益ಠ) "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE COULD ONLY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, YOU JERK!"

"Heh, embarrassed?"

"NO, I AM NOT!"

"Pfft!" She's laughing- or at least trying not to.

"You..." she started, "You two must be close friends."

"AS IF!" we shouted at the as time.

"Still," I said, trying to get off the subject, "Care to explain how you grew up so fast."

She adjusted the chain collar around her neck.

_However, that was just the beginning._

She explained how she had Trance, that she saw Truth (which Fullmetal flinched at), got adopted by the secretary for Führer King Bradley, and that she was jumping from time to time- literally.

"So that's what happened after you were kidnapped shortly after we (Riza and I) left Resembool..." I. AM. BREATHLESS. She took it right out of me.

""HUH?!" Fullmetal shouted, "YOU GOT HER _WHAT AND WHEN_?!"

"Hold on a minute," she interrupted, "I was kidnapped back then?"

"Yeah... by a girl in a trench coat."

"... So that's how it is."

"Eh?"

"My future self once told me that I had disappeared under you care, but never told me when." So she has been pretending to be an acquaintance of mine because she was was told that she knew me, but wasn't told it was when she was almost a day old.

"If I had to guess," she continued, "Somewhere after this conversation, I go back in time to kidnap my newborn self and when I get older, I tell the me several hours ago the very information. I can't be within this year, 'cause she looked more...adult. But as for the kidnapping, I have to find out where I kidnapped myself to first." So... in other words, the trench coat girl was her own self.

* * *

**ELPIS P.O.V.**

After that long conversation within the long reunion, we all went our respectable separate ways. That is... if you want to call it that. As much as I know that they are family in a sense, I wasn't looking forward to meeting them _any_ time soon.

"You're up late," Invidia stated.

"Sorry."

"Envy," Father- _the_ father commanded him to keep it to himself.

"Humph!" I looked around.

"Where are Luxuria and Gula?" Ira is the Führer while Superbia is his "son", the current Acedia is digging (as usual), and Avaritia left over a hundred years ago, so it can't be helped.

"They're in Lior."

"I... see. Well, goodnight," I walk and turned to my destination. I hate it, but it's become a habit to come here.

"Mother (2003 anime Sloth), I'm home!" I called out through the door. One may as well have imagined my surprise when I was first caught by her; the shock I felt when she told me to thank her. Why? If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been raised at all here- much more, exist today. What am I saying? I was the one who saved myself that very night.

The moment I had time traveled to the day Hohenheim found me, I had spilled all of my time traveling secrets right then and there; in the room where her dead body laid. Here's the catch, Ed didn't get her stone- she used her powers to dehydrate her corpse. Granny Pinako, may have buried her, but not the water part of her, nor her philosopher stone.

"Goodnight."

If she has to die, I'll be the one to kill her. I won't let Father have the stone. I'll destroy by my hands... at least that's what I would do._ I'm a coward!_ I thought to myself when I returned to my room- if you ask me though, it's not where you think it is- and don't call me "Everywhere Door". _'Take this with you,'_ who is that? Ah, that's right, Mother's words from back then when she talked to me about my philosopher stone.

_'Keep it on your person at all times. I need you to commit murder.' Who do you want me to kill?_

_'Please for me?' Hey, who are you talking to?_

_'Let me go. Please, let me go!' Who are you reaching out to?!_

_'If you become uncertain, plunge at them squarely in heart.' Who is it that you see?_

_'You're such a gently girl.' Sure, I'll commit murder for you. That's what you want, right? I will NOT let anyone touch your stone heart. I'll grant that wish for you..._

_"Juliet Douglas"_

* * *

_**OMAKE**_

Too bright~! Ah, it's morning... Looking at that, I think I became cross-eyed. Right in front of my face was a gun.

"What?" I asked the beholder.

"What are you doing in the Colonel's office?" What am I doing here, indeed. This is why one needs to know where they are going before using my way of traveling. _Please put that gun down. I can't be revealed a homunculus yet!_

"Uh, I'm nobody...?" she pushes the guns closer. _Somebody! Wait!... I feel stupid now. The invention of the 2015's if I can just get it on and roll off of this couch._

**...**

"Wha-!" she yelled in shock, "Where'd she go?" To her eyes, I was laying on the couch one moment, and gone the next. I thank you, whoever used artificially structured metamaterials to create an invisibility cloak. It really didn't reflect light.

"Lieutenant, something wrong?" Roy...! And Hughes too.

"Sir, there was a girl sleeping on the couch, but she disappeared."

"Correction," I said, "I'm just invisible."

"That voice... Elpis?" The man asked, which shocked Riza. I can't blame her; I was missing for years.

"In the flesh," I said taking of the cloak. They found me sitting on the desk edge of the desk with one leg crossed over the other as I let the cloak drop out of my hand.

Officers: (O.O)!

* * *

**The names mention when she got "home" were the Latin versions of the seven sins' names.**


	3. (Important) Response to Reviews

**Reviews:**

**emachiin**

**Thank you!**

**...**

**innacurate chapter 1 . Nov 25**

**Sorry, when my brain focused on the tortuous concept of time traveling, I for got to be specific on some parts. It's like this: I mixed the 2003 anime with the 2009 anime a little bit.**

**1904: Van Hohenheim leaves his house, but before that *cough* they conveyed their feelings. Who is she pregnant with? Hohenheim, who else? When Trisha died, the baby did too.**

**1908: In the summer, Izumi accept Ed and Al as her apprentices. In the winter, the brother finish their training and return to Resembool.**

**1910: Ed and Al's attempt to revive their mother failed (But since they didn't know she was pregnant, they weren't aware of Elpis' existence). After receiving the news that Trisha died at an extremely late time, Hohenheim came back as fast as he could. On the road home, he sees the Roy Mustang and human transmutation from afar. When Roy when to the Automail shop, he didn't realized the armor was Al at the time (And you know Hohenheim's side of that story).**

**Of course there are some contradictions- it's time traveling. In addition, (ch 2) when Elpis said that Mother (aka 2003 Sloth) used her powers to dehydrate her corpse, that was a rushed theory. Since she hates her, she does her best to avoid her. Thus, she doesn't exactly know her powers.**

**SPOILER: What really happened was that Elpis' own blood healed the 2003 Sloth. Unlike other homunculus who has a philosopher stone, Elpis' _blood_ is her _philosopher stone_. Therefore, when Newborn Elpis' blood dripped on Sloth... I'm sorry, please go figure it out on your own... my head hurts.**


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